H.R. 2360: To permanently extend the exemption from the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement for school bus drivers, and for other purposes.

This bill seeks to permanently ease requirements for school bus drivers by removing the need for them to perform an engine compartment inspection as part of their pre-trip vehicle checks. Here’s a breakdown of the main points:

Permanent Exemption

The bill mandates that the Secretary of Transportation will make a previously granted exemption permanent. This exemption allows certain school bus drivers to skip the engine compartment inspection when they take the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills test. This exemption was initially published in the Federal Register on December 2, 2024.

Conditions of the Exemption

The exemption retains specific terms and conditions that were outlined in the Federal Register notice. These relate to how the inspection process is modified for certain drivers, although the specific terms are not detailed in the bill.

Reporting Requirements

To keep track of the impact of this exemption, the bill requires any state that opts to use this exemption to submit an annual report to the Secretary of Transportation for six years. These reports will need to include information on the number of drivers obtaining a commercial driver's license under this exemption.

Overall Purpose

The purpose of this bill is to simplify the process for school bus drivers, potentially facilitating a smoother path for them to earn the necessary licenses while ensuring that monitoring continues through annual reporting by the states.

Relevant Companies

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